The Last Carolina Girl is a beautiful and haunting story of Leah Payne, a 14 year old girl in 1935. Leah lives on the North Carolina coast with her father. Having lost her mother in childbirth, Leah shares a special bond with her father. She is growing up wild and free on the coast when tragically her father dies in an accident at work. 

Leah is sent to live in Matthews, NC with a foster family. Expecting to be treated as part of the family, Leah is shocked and saddened to be forced to be a helpmate- essentially a servant. The well to do family is focused on climbing the ranks in society, as Matthews plans its first ball. During her rare outings, Leah learns about the surging eugenics movement. When her foster mother is displeased with her personality and her spells (silent seizures), Leah learns just how deep resentment can run and the long term impacts of this terrible time in our history. 

If you enjoyed Take My Hand, this book is told from the perspective of a young girl impacted by the same hateful movement. I found this book moving, beautiful, and incredibly sad. North Carolina's eugenics board was one of the last to be disbanded in the 1970s. One book about this topic is not enough, and I treasured that this book showed the upper and middle class white women who made the movement stronger. Church did not shy away from telling how it was marketed to polite society. I would have liked more depth and detail at the end, but it was still well written and heartfelt. 

Thank you to Netgalley and RB Media for an ALC in exchange for my honest review.